Parasite treatments

[wool woman]

Are there any good herbal or other natural treatments for intestinal parasites in a pregnant dairy cow? I'm currently using mixtures of thyme, sage, chammomile, wormwood, garlic, cloves and ginger, and aloe vera, but once she is in calf, I don't want to rish the aloe vera or thyme. I know cloves should be alright, but it wouldn't be suitable on its own. Any ideas?

[floramum]

If You Only Have One Cow You Can Control Her Water. I Have Heard Of Putting Vinegar In The Drinking Water To Control Internal Parasites In Cattle. Start Slowly - Dont Put A Lot In At The Time.

So I Tried It On A Beef Cow I Had Up In The Pens Doctoring A Flesh Wound. I Put 1 Cup Of Vinegar In About 20 Gallons Of Water. Inspecting The Water Trough The Next Morning I Discovered The Cow Had Dropped Some Pies In It.

My Last Experiment.. Let Us Know What Works For You.

[Christina R.]

I always had on hand (but never had to use it) a product called "Golden Blend Goat Dewormer" from Hoegger Goat Supply. I had it as it was okay for pregnant and lactating goats and seemed to be the most natural thing I could find that would actually work. Hoeggers said it would work fine for cows, it would just need a larger amount fed. I just got the label and it does say medicated... with something called morental tartrate. The rest of the ingrdients are minerals and vitamin supplements, grain products, forage products, and plant proteins. You could go to their website and read about the product to see if it fits into the parameters you are desiring.

[wool woman]

Thanks.
The cider vinegar - so that would be like quite a bit each day. Some days she would drink about the 20 gallons, but most would be half of that, depending on temperature of the day. I do give her grain while milking so I can put some in there -been doing a couple of tablespoons, but I think I'd need to increase that. Will see how things go. I'm also not sure that our cv is up to the standard of yours (I'm in NZ and cider apples don't grow well, we are told, so alternatives are used)

[Up North]

How about Shell Flower, aka Diatamaceous Earth? Any reason this wouldn't get the job done?

[arcticow]

Lots easier to mix in with grain, too. Morantel tartrate is a chemical wormer, but definitely one of the mildest & with real safety record.I'm afraid w/vinegar, you'd about have to drown her in it, D. E. is probably the best bet. If you really want to go herbal, what about raw pumpkin seed? Or bring out the old-time big gun & mix tobacco dust or snuff in her grain.

[mtman]

Originally Posted by Up North

How about Shell Flower, aka Diatamaceous Earth? Any reason this wouldn't get the job done?

there are 2 kinds make shure you get the food grade if you use it

[wool woman]

I have heard a little about diatamaceous earth, but not much. Could you give me some more info on this?

[arcticow]

Comes in 2 grades. Lower is used for swimming pool filters. Food or feed grade is cleaner,more sharp edges on the diatom shells(hence shell flour). Important because it works by physically nicking through the parasites' outer layer, injuring or killing them. At least causes detachment. Can be inhaled, so be careful.

[Up North]

Originally Posted by mtman

there are 2 kinds make shure you get the food grade if you use it

Yep, good point Mtn Man!

[arcticow]

mtman & Up North, what have you fed DE & what results? Do it work on hogs & how well?